Beef and Daikon Radish Soup
Makes 3 servings. ¾ pound beef chuck steak, cut into ½ inch thick slices8 cups water1 Red Dog purple daikon radish, cut into ¼ inch thick slices1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fish sauce½ teaspoon soy sauce½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste¼ cup garlic, minced4 green onions, white + green parts sliced For Serving:Jasmine riceSliced green onion Add water and daikon radish to a medium-sized dutch oven and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Add sliced beef, fish sauce, soy sauce, garlic, and kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then lower to...
read moreThe Story of Betsie’s Bulb Planter
Last Thursday we pulled out our beast of a bulb planter and planted 26,000 tulip bulbs with four people in one hour. Every year it takes a little coercion to get the bulb planter to want to move again, and this year was no different. This implement was likely made in the 1950’s and is only used for about one hour every year. Talk about a specialized tool! Once we got it going, it did what it does best, plants bulbs!While we were planting, Nicole asked me how I came to grow tulips and own this planter and she enjoyed my answer so much, I...
read moreFast Honey-Glazed Carrots
Serves 3. 1 bunch Red Dog carrots (any color)2 tablespoons butter (or olive oil for dairy-free)¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste½ tablespoon brown sugar2 tablespoons honey Peel the carrots and slice them diagonally into 1/4-inch rounds (on the bias). Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the carrots and cover. Cook for 4 minutes without stirring. Remove the lid, stir, and add the ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, brown sugar and honey. Continue to saute uncovered 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and caramel in...
read morePasta Peperonata with Tuna and Olives
Makes 2 servings. 1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling1/2 large onion, halved and thinly sliced2 Red Dog red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and sliced into 1/4-inch piecesKosher salt1 clove garlic, minced1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved1 tablespoon golden raisins, chopped1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved1 basil sprig, plus 2-3 Tbsp. fresh leaves, sliced if large6 ounces spaghetti1/2 can tuna in oil, drained and flaked1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated (1/2 cup)1 finger pepper or other hot pepper, thinly sliced...
read moreRoasted Red Peppers
Strips of roasted red pepper are sweet and flavorful additions to all sorts of meals, like fajitas, scrambled eggs, salads, pizza, pasta, rice pilaf, and so much more! Red Dog red bell peppersExtra-virgin olive oilSea salt Char the peppers over a gas burner or under a broiler until the skin is blackened all over. Remove them from the heat. Place in a bowl and cover with a towel or plastic wrap, or place them in a paper bag, for 10 minutes. Uncover and use your hands to peel and remove the loose skin. Slice off the stem, and remove the seeds;...
read moreHarvesting the Fruits of Our Labor
Red Dog Farm is a magical place this time of year! With fall right around the corner, it’s very exciting to see just how much the farm has transformed since the spring. There are many moving parts on the farm as well as many people who come together to accomplish the tasks that translate into collective results. It’s really a treat working here. It’s a very dynamic and engaging job—every single day. This year was my first year on the farm, and I’ve learned so many things! I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to learn to operate the...
read moreShelling Bean & Spinach Pilaf
Serves 3. Halloumi is a satisfyingly chewy, salty cheese that you sear in a pan like animal protein. Adding a nutty, vegetable-packed pilaf turns it into a full meal. 1 lb. fresh Red Dog shelling beans1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter1/4 cup slivered almonds1 Tbsp. olive oil1/2 Red Dog onion, chopped1/2 tsp. finely chopped garlic3/4 cup long-grain rice1 1/2 cups vegetable broth1/2 tsp. dried dill1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon1/8 tsp. ground allspice1 bay leaf2 cups loosely packed chopped Red Dog spinach1/4 lb....
read moreSuccotash
2 Red Dog sweet peppers, stemmed, seeded, and finely diced1/2 ounce thinly sliced bacon3 tablespoons unsalted butter1/2 medium Red Dog sweet onion, finely diced2 medium cloves garlic, minced3 ears Red Dog corn, shucked, kernels cut off2 small summer squash (yellow squash and/or zucchini), finely diced1 lb. Red Dog shelling beans, cooked1/4 cup reserved bean-cooking waterKosher salt and freshly ground black pepperSmall handful fresh basil leaves, torn In a large Dutch oven, heat bacon over medium heat, stirring, until fat has rendered and...
read moreAlways Improving
As the crew hurriedly and with great haste hustles to harvest the bounty that is a September harvest, it is also a time to hustle to finish up projects before the rains come! September is the great intersection of summer and fall: where sweet juicy tomatoes sit next your beets on a dinner plate, where the fog sits heavy in the valley in those sweet cool mornings, where you wear your sweatshirts for a couple hours longer in the morning. It’s a month where you reflect on the summer, think towards next season, plant bulbs and seeds that will...
read moreShelling Beans with Aromatics
Prep the BeansRemove the beans from the pods. Put the beans in a pot and fill with enough cold water to cover by at least three inches. Season the water with salt, making sure it tastes pleasantly salty. The salt is important because it helps the beans retain their shape and helps infuse the beans with the flavors of the aromatics. Add AromaticsAdd aromatics to the pot. This makes the difference between mediocre beans and truly tasty ones. The aromatics can include any aromatic vegetable, such as the basics like onion, carrot, celery, and...
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